Rebounds has a shoestring budget to reach teachers

Deni Bouillon opened Rebounds Used Books & Teacher Supply store in January after running the business online for a couple years.

Rebounds takes gently used books on trade and focuses on what Bouillon sees as an under-served niche market: an exchange for teachers who can sell and swap classroom supplies. Bouillon knows her customers since she is a former music teacher.

Rebounds has been e-mailing teachers, working through online resources and social media, creating fliers distributed through local businesses and paying $100 a month to advertise the business on the back of receipts from the neighboring Dierberg’s supermarket. Because cash flow is an issue, Bouillon said she needs to make every penny count.

Rebounds challenge: How to reach a target market on a shoestring budget?

Jarek's’s advice: “She needs to work her social media component because that cost is zero. She should make sure Rebounds puts its name on everything that leaves the store — books, bookmarks, event calendars, fliers.”

Jarek Steele

Co-owner, Left Bank Books, president of the St. Louis Independent Bookstore Alliance

John’s advice: “Hold a special event for teachers in the area and ask permission from area schools to place fliers in teacher work rooms.”

John Urkevich

Executive director, Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis

Dan’s advice: “She can drive traffic with a calendar of events that highlights the store’s inventory around historic anniversaries, or piggyback on speakers or performers coming to town. Outside her store, she should work with regional teacher associations.”

Dan McGrath

Account director, Barkley Advertising

Bill’s advice: “If she can find room in her store, figure out a place where customers could come for music lessons or have book discussion groups — things that help build the store as a destination and resource center. There are mailing lists readily available for educators, but they cost $70 to $80 for 1,000 names, and are hard to do on a shoestring budget.”